


Fear Me

by Froggy_HullaABullaLoo



Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: Angst, BloodClan (Warriors), Dysfunctional Family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-14 14:08:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29172417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Froggy_HullaABullaLoo/pseuds/Froggy_HullaABullaLoo
Summary: 1) Scourge as a kit2) Scourge rejecting his brother and sister3) Scourge thinks about his mom4) Scourge and RubyJust some stuff about Scourge as leader of Blood Clan while dealing with his family & past.
Kudos: 10





	1. Scourge as a Kit

**Author's Note:**

> I seriously didn't think I'd be writing Warrior Cat fanfiction in 2021, but I found my elementary school journal and decided to rewrite the Warrior Cats, Scourge-centric fanfiction I'd originally written at eleven. Please enjoy <3

Ruby shoves me hard in the side. "Move, runt," she snarls, her lip curling up over sharp fangs. We're kittens, sure, but she's so much bigger than me; the threat of her fangs is frightening. I back away, flexing my claws once I'm at a safe distance. 

I feel Mother nuzzle me. Her fur is warm against mine and it makes me feel safe. Ruby and Socks may bully me when Mother is around, but they'll never _really_ hurt me. She's like a shield. A big, warm, loving shield. I lean against her. 

"You two shouldn't be so mean to poor Tiny," Mother scolds. They're annoyed, but it doesn't matter because I'm annoyed too. It's my _name_. Why had Mother felt the need to remind me of my small size, as if I could ever forget? Not with Socks's cruel comments, not with Ruby's taunting. I know they're bullies and that I shouldn't care what they think, but it sticks to the wounded ego buried deep within my heart. 

I watch as Socks pounces on Ruby. "Let's play!" he says, though the words are unnecessary, as Ruby's already flipped them, pinning him down onto the concrete floor of our owners' back porch. 

"Why don't you join them?" Mother suggests. 

I look up at her. Though she's kind, she's oblivious to what happens among us kits. 

"I don't think that's a good idea," I say. 

Mother isn't listening though. She thinks I'm being shy, being silly. She nudges me. "Go ahead. They want you to play too." 

I foolishly listen, taking a cautious step towards them. They stop wrestling to stare at me as I near, Socks's paw still pressed against Ruby's chest. 

"What do you want?" he asks. His amber glare is piercing and painful. I want to turn around, to run back to Mother, but she's already stretched out in the sun, falling asleep in its warmth. 

Nervously, I ask, "Can I play?" 

It takes just a moment for them to start laughing. " _You_? Play with _us_?" Ruby says. "Get real. You'd get yourself killed, Tiny!" 

"You miserable runt," Socks joins in, "you can't do anything without Mother's help. You'd only get hurt!" 

A growl rises in my throat, but they only think it's funny. Why should it scare them? I always start this up when they push me. It never amounts to anything. Try as I may, the fear always holds me back. Not today, I want to tell them. It won't today. I flex my claws again. They've always been larger than they're supposed to be and though Mother says I'll grow into them, I don't mind them one bit (even though Socks and Ruby say they make me look like a lopsided dork.)

"What are you going to do, runt?" Ruby sneers. "You gonna be a big cat and attack us?" 

"You seriously think you could win?" Socks asks. "I'd knock you out." 

That does it. Those are the words that make me reach my limit. A lifetime, even just a short one, of bullying and alienation sends fury through my blood. If just this once I can prove them wrong, then everything will be okay. We could get along the way normal brothers and sisters do. They'd respect me, they'd love me-

_I lunge at Socks. My claws, never seriously used before, ache to feel his flesh beneath them. They ache to rip his fur. They succeed in their ambitions, but quickly, I'm knocked to the ground.  
There's a howl of pain.   
There's the smell of blood.   
As Mother rushes over, I slowly become aware that it isn't my blood.   
Ruby stares at me with wide, terrified eyes as Mother tends to Socks_-

They'd fear me.


	2. Scourge Rejecting His Brother and Sister

Revenge is a thought often on my mind. It pangs through every particle of my miserable existence. In my ears, a silent whisper of _"We'll teach him a lesson_ ," paired with the awful memories of the large cat who had confronted me when I'd first run from home. I'd wondered at the time why he wouldn't take pity on me, who was still just a tiny scrap of fur at the time. I'd wondered why he couldn't show mercy. But now, years later, as I sit proudly over my domain, I understand. Mercy isn't a thing you show when trying to survive. I lick my chest fur, trying to soothe my rage. 

"Scourge?" a voice calls. I pause briefly, but continue, finding no urgency or danger. It's just Bone, the only cat I come close to trusting. 

"What is it?" I ask as he walks into view, entering my den. 

"Did I wake you?" he asks. It's early morning and outside, it's cold and dreary. It rained all night and everything is covered in the soggy remains of the storm. It does very little to affect the mood here. It's always this grim. 

"No," I say, "I've been awake for a while now. What do you need?" My head slowly rises and I look up at him. His gaze lingers on me for a moment before fluttering away. We may be friends, but Bone is careful to never forget his position beneath me. 

"There are two cats here to see you," he says. "I tried to reason with them, tried explaining that you weren't up yet, but they were quite adamant about seeing you. They don't look or smell familiar." 

I sigh. Always some new problem. "Okay. Take me to them." 

I follow him out of my den, jumping carefully down the stacks of crates and boxes that make up the mountainous lair of my home until I hit the ground. I'm careful to avoid any puddles, following behind Bone as he leads me to these intruders. I watch everyone as we walk. They part crowds for us, keeping their heads bowed as I pass. I don't know all of them by name, but I also don't really care who they are. As long as they're alive and know who's in charge, I have no concerns. 

A skinny, black and white tomcat stands in the opening to my alleyway. Crouched beside him is a she-cat, just as skinny, if not more so. His tail is wrapped around her and he growls at anyone who gets too close. It takes just a glance and taste of the air to know who these cats are and it's with wicked satisfaction that I notice their fur has no healthy gleam. Their eyes are sunken in. Their ribs stick out. They're matted and filthy, wet with rain. I, in every way except size, am their superior, and even that is generous. I'm strong and healthy. I stay well-fed. What difference does height make now when I am the one surviving? 

"They say you can help us," the tom says. 

I give a curt nod. "That's true," I say, "but what makes you think you deserve my help?" I watch as he eyes my collar nervously; I puff my chest out, offering him a better look. "You like it? Didn't your mother ever teach you it's rude to stare? Keep it up and I might let you join my collection." 

Instantly, he drops his head. "Please, we're starving. I promise we'll never come back 'round if we could just-" 

"You hear that, Bone?" I interrupt. Bone, who sits beside me, gives me a curious stare. "They want to take our food and _never come back_. Seems like an unfair trade. What's in it for me?" 

It's the she-cat who faces me now. Her eyes are blurry, delirious with cold and hunger, but I watch as recognition crosses them. They become even foggier, now with emotion. "Tiny?" she manages to say. 

I have not a word for her. I look to Bone once again. "Clear the way," I tell him. "Lead everyone else away. I need to be alone with these two." 

"Are you sure?" Bone says. 

I stifle the angry growl rising in me. _He doesn't say it to challenge you,_ I remind myself. _He says it because he cares_ I may not be used to kindness, but when it comes from Bone, I force myself to tolerate it. "Yes, I'm sure," I say, aggravated nonetheless. "I've been waiting my whole life for this meeting." 

As Bone ushers all my cats back into their dens or out of the alleyway, my gaze doesn't leave these two pitiful vermin I see before me. When we're finally alone, I speak again. "Ruby," I say, my icy gaze slowly sweeping to the tom, "Socks. Such a strange development. How did you get here? Your two-leg owners finally throw you out?" 

They do not answer. Instead, Ruby, bold for some reason, takes a step closer to me and says, "Tiny, it's really you? You're really in charge?" 

"You've accomplished a lot," Socks adds. He takes in my alleyway. "This is...a lot." 

I feel no gratitude for their praise. "Shocking, isn't it? To see the runt bullied so now but the one with all the power." 

"We were such silly kittens," Ruby says. "Are you still mad about that?" 

"I can forgive, but I can't forget. What kind of leader would I be if I permitted such things?" 

I turn my back to them, returning to my den, but stop short when Socks calls out, "You can't be serious! We'll die without food. You have so much. We're littermates, Tiny, you-" 

"- _Littermates_? You seriously can't believe that just because we were reared from the same litter, I owe you _anything_." I shake my head. "I'm giving you a fair chance. If you leave now, I'll spare your lives. It's just as you told me when we were young. The unwanted kittens get thrown out, into the river." I allow myself a smile. "Think of this as your river."


	3. Scourge Thinks About His Mom (Very Briefly)

When my mother's eyes meet mine, they're filled with regret. She's saying things that I know should hurt me, but it's been so long since I've hurt. It's like I've turned to stone, with heart and blood of ice. So, when she says to me, _"My sweet Tiny, what happened to do you? I'm so sorry,_ " all I know to respond with is, "My name isn't Tiny." 

She shows no fear at the anger in my voice. She doesn't even seem afraid when I begin to growl. "Tiny was a good cat," she says. "I don't even know who you are anymore." 

"Scourge!" I scream at her. "My name is _Scourge_!" Though I can't feel any guilt or sadness, I can feel anger. It pounds through me, melts my frozen blood, and turns it to fire. I don't even care that this is my mother. I unsheath my claws. I launch myself at her. 

But even as I fly through the air, intent to kill evident, she just gives me those sad, regretful eyes and says, "I'm so sorry, my sweet kit. I'm so sorry."

My claws slash through nothing. It was naught but a dream, a figment of my imagination that disappears as I wake. I haven't dreamt of my mother in so long. She only comes to my mind now because of Ruby and Socks. The incident put me in a foul mood, but I didn't think it nearly so bad as to make me think of my _kithood_ again. 

How pathetic. I stand and stretch my legs. I can see the moon outside, a brilliant glowing ball tonight. It's beckoning me out and I've never been one to deny the moon's call. I call for Bone, who comes quickly to my aid; he's always waiting, always listening. It seems that if I were to ever stop breathing, he'd be the one to supply me the air. That's why he's my second-in-command. I can he's tried by the way he sways as he enters my den, but nonetheless, he says sarcastically, "Nice morning, huh, Scourge?" 

I ignore his frustrations at being woken up so early. "Have you seen those two cats I scared off the other day?" I ask him. 

"The two scrawny, fleabags? Nah," Bone says, flopping down onto the floor of my den and giving a long, lazy stretch. "I don't think they'll be bothering us again." 

"Good." I nudge his head with my paw. "Are you hungry?" 

"When aren't I?" 

"Great. We're going hunting." I leave before he can argue and obediently, he follows. 

When a good distance is put between us and the alleyway, I watch as Bone tastes the air. "There's something good out there," he says and I nod in agreement. 

"It's good because no one's out to steal it yet," I say. I stand still, listening. There's a rustling in the distance, in a dumpster behind some two-leg building. "There," I whisper, stalking off with Bone following suit. 

Hunting takes patience and concentration. I silently climb old boxes to get closer to the dumpster and every so often, I pause to listen and smell. The closer I get, the longer these pauses become, while Bone waits down below to catch any prey that may get away too quickly. Small chance of that! I'm fierce and fast and absolutely exact in all I do, so when my paw darts out and I pin this mouse, it's a deadly blow. I toss it down to Bone. The sour smell of garbage wafts from the dumpster. Disgusted, I jump down to instead be the sweet smell of meat. 

"You can have this one," I tell Bone. "There's probably another nearby. This place is crawling with 'em."

"You sure, boss?" Bone asks. He waits to begin eating until I give him a nod. 

I tell myself it's just because I'm bored, that I'm seeking the thrill of the hunt more-so than the satisfaction of breakfast, but my mother's words echo in my mind. Dream or not, they're a cruel taunt. _Tiny was a good cat_. What did she mean by that? I may not be the softest, but I'm still good. Look at me now, feeding my followers before I feed myself! Besides, I didn't get to where I am today by being 'good.' I got here by means of power, fear, and control. 

I throw a rat down to Bone. What did Mother know of goodness anyway?


End file.
